Tractor implement attachment



Sept. 19, 1944.

H. P. SMITH 'IRACTDR IMPLEMENT ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 9, 1940 h em Q p t f fin M 0% Hw 5 o 0 0a 0 w em .3 m N mm o o n &Q Q om 8 3 mm. K 8 OS m m.

Sept. 19, 1944.

H. P. SMlTH TRACTOR IMPLEMENT ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 9, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Hiram PJ'mi I12 vSept. 19, 1944. H. P. SMITH TRACTOR IMPLEMENT ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 9, 1940 HiramPJmz'th wit . w I m 3% I m y\ i MK m SN 6M 6M I I I I 0 mm U 0 A V m $0 mm 1 MN. B 9N P o mm O m 0 O 9 QR. m mm 3 m #2 03 i:m fi 8 u I a Y r m 8 a w 0 me 0% 2 3. m mm I 6v w m sm I I p 1 1944' H. P. SMITH 2,358,539

" TRAGTQR IMPLEMENT'ATTACHME'NT Filed Oct. 9, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor By fiaum FM HjramP-Jmz'tb Patented Sept. 19, 1944 FFICE 2,358,539 r TRAqron MeLnMEmrnrTAon EN'r Hiram P. Smith, Canton, 111;, assignor to International Harvester Company", a corporation of New Jersey.

Ap l at on Octo er 9, 1949; spiel 1st: $604 5 Claims. (Cl- 971-47) This invention relates to tra ctoremounted implements and more particularly to means for mounting these implements on'the tractor.

The main object of the invention is to provide a tractor cultivator with a simplified means for the attachment of the cultivator to the tractor, whereby the same may be readily assembled to the tractor and easily detached from the same.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tractor with lifting means for the implement mounted on the forward portions of th same, wherein the lifting means may be located midship of the tractor and wherein this lifting means may b as y di om he when b dy structure of the tractor as a unit.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a rig arrangement wherein the rig beam will be positively tilted forwardly upon the same being lifted to have the rear shovel raised higher than any of the shovels forwardly thereof and to thereby reduce the breakage of, plants, upon swinging of the tractor and its attachment at the end of the plant row.

It is still another obj ect of the inventionto pro;

vide means for the attachmentof'the rear rigs of the cultivator and of the lifting means of thesame, whereby only minimum fastening ofthe same to the tractor is necessary. Y

According to thepresent invention the Qultivator rig units are attachable to the steering housing of the tractor. This steering housing has associated therewith squared socket openings ex,- tending transversely therein to be presented re spectively from each side of the tractor. The cule tivating rig unit includes an attachin means which has a projecting portion of square crosssection adapted to iit within the squared socket n n at ea h ide'o lhhe whi h .Mhhhs al o may b kprovided for securing the squaredvproe iectihg o i n o t cul iva ng ii j w i th Socket pe ngsi eh fer sefl y a h m iii a et shr n h e r housing extending nt the hehih and hi h a w h th h iec eiihhrii h 0 the c l v ting unit. i

A m n f i n h wihv hr F s th is included a rockable means'oi a type adapted to be connected midship of t e tractor and is removable therefromas aiiiifiit, g I

Associated with the cultivator rig beam 9i each cultivator unit there is provided alyertieally ex: tending adjustable projection adapted to engage with the lower linkupon the raisin of the ig.

' to thereby; beardownion; or depress the-forward end of the rigbeamjto piv'ot'the samewith re- 'hhhh h h' e w is h h l he i3- i9? s eerin eteet b h Steering whe l H loh ie iea whi lv h the hrxnear Dect to the end of'the drag-link to throw the rear sm le} of the cultivator rig to a jppsition higherthan the ijorw rd shovel 9f .therig upon ihe it n hrth ci iiva oryriesr "f'I'he rear rigs and thefactuating rockeshaits i e eih re ref a ly hemm a a un io ihe rear of the tractor. Also; the manual lifting means and its helper springtare connected as a tih the tra hr- .BS' a nt i g he helper ,s. as a t i his ad u tin u t the s t i n h r he he emoved 'ih i i h u n dis onnecting ,of the cultivator fromthe tractor her w th h an hhh hfiihy for he am o be rehhiusted hhQh the at a hmen of the n ir 29 t9 t tra tor:- 1 a r a For oth r objects and vfer a bet nde s and ing of the variou features of the presentinvenli hi feren e h w be. hhd 9 the f11Wi11g tailed esh 2 1 ke in h hhh ih with th ae mhhehmhg hiaw h which: a E ih? 1 s v ew in "l elevati n of the r ht 1 'of th. h 9th "with th tra tor cu i at r int nt n ttached ther t he f rester hhrio h s hivesehtihvehi gh @1 .1.11 aiih h'art e ariy the hhhii f he Yeti l .h s "i hieahs'eh the hh l vhier fie than; in ffect a e hg .oi the rear hh Q11 the rig beam'higherthan the forward shovel on v the r g een}:

' R 9 thehiaw h e th re s how supporting frame 'lli h ar' ien ofwhiqh is'cj d a steer n ea ted a steering struc 99' h ihhs. sea o s atio .5- Goh hi tether unitary body structure II at its rear is hahsh hh a ithfierehhhi mu i "i ha ing depend ng axle housings H at each side illl lfi This i t r 9 1 ofiset yne whe e the phe hichs ihii9h is i ee si at h. o i i n l t.-

eit yismov lTQl h unita hq y st u ure hi the h pster B hcehhe he he hhi h'i position he is enabled'to have'a better view of'the the connecting portions of the cultivating units; Ti 1 there is such a portion l9 associated with the, steering gear housing I2 extending so as to have an opening 2| at each side ofthe tractor for the connection of the cultivatingunits 22- and 23,

respectively. These openings 2| are preferably squared and adapted to receive a squaredportion I of the attaching means of the cultivating unit.

When the unit has been connected to the-tractor.

by the insertion of the squared connecting portionswithin the squared socket opening; the same maybe. secured in that pos tion bymeans of set screws 24 threaded into the gear housingportion I9. ,The gear housing? forms part of the tractor-when, it is attached to the main body portion l l and; is thereby rigid j with respect thereto.

Description will .nowbe madeof one of the cultivating units". and it will be understood that this description may readily apply for,tl1eother cultivating unit'Yadapted to be located at the op.- posite side of thetractor andwhichdifiers only in that the transversely'ext'ending square bar at-j taching portion extends transversely in the opposite direction- Each cultivating. 'unit includes generally'aj rig beam s 25 adapted to extend longie tudinally with respecttojthextractorlandfon which is located the. usual cultivating shovels 26 con-'' nected in longitudinallyjspacedrrelationfflther z along.v At one loc'ation alongtherig' beam and same'time leaving it in its initially tensioned posinearer to'the forward endtne're r there is rig: idly attachedtw'o vertically extending bracket plates 21 which are} attached, by. rrre'ansv of bolts 28. "Extending forwardly rom; thesespacedplates 21 and connected. thereto 'aretwo spaced links 29 and 30, the lower link 29 being mainlyi adraft or drag linkandlojca'ted between the spaced plates while the upper nnkgao'bemg adapted ftoim ain-l tain the bracket 2.1:.and the 'rig' beamf 25 against vertical rotation during theoperationof the cul-. tivator. The forwardend of theselinks. maybe connected tea-bracket structure :32, which-may be likewise aspaced plate arrangement, so that at least oneof the linksmaybe located between the plates, and this bracketi's tructure-may in; clude a transversely;extending square bar meme. ber 34 welded to the spaced'plates'33, as indicated at 35. It will now be seen that-there hasbeen provided in the spaced plates 21, thespaced links 29 and 30, and in .the bracket'structure 32, means for attaching the Yrigl'be am.Z5LWithitSfs1iqVe1S 26 thereon to the steering;gearihousmg-.l'2 of the tractor. vWhile it ,hasLbeenQshown, that socket openings have been provided in thesteering. gear housing l2, which,. in, the'jtype .01." tractondis closed provide a very convenient location; for the connection of cultivating units, it shallbeunder stood that such openings of this type might be provided ,atany location within the body pO 'bio'n of a tractor. ,The transversebarsjtareremove able with'thejunits,;all of;which makes for sim plicityin the attachmentanddetachment of cultivatorunits'gto the tractor.- Si icc th Squa e openings 2! are adapted to receive an attaching bar 34, which is also of square cross-section, it will be apparent that any tendency for the bracket structure 32 and the cultivating rig to rotate as a unit with respect to the tractor is prevented. The fiat squared surfaces of the transverse bar 34, registering flatly with the squared faces of the socket opening, prevent any tendency for twistingof the bracket structure 32 and its square bar with respect to the tractor.

On the top of the tractor bar ll, there may be mounted a combined helper spring and adjusting lever unit indicated generally at 36. This unit includes a longitudinally extending base member31 to which is pivotally connected at 38 an adjusting lever 39 adapted to have locking engagement with a quadrant 4| extending vertically from the base element 31 and connected to the same at 42 and 43. The lower ends of the quadrant 4| have laterally projected portions 42 a nd 43, through which may extend the. bolts 44;and 45 for the'attachment of the combined unit to the topof the body portion of the tractor. The leverelement 39'may have an arm 46 rigidly connected thereto for the connection of a link member 41 extendingforwardly and connected tothe rearward end of he lper spring biasing means 48 at 49. The forward end of the helper spring 48 may be connected by adjustable means 56 to'a yertically extending flange portion 5! on theiforward end of the base element 31. To the adjusting lever 39 may be attached the forward extending and rearwardly extending operating links 52 and 53, respectively. It will be apparent that; when these operating links52 and '53 are detached from the lever 39and'when the attaching bolts 44 and 45 are detached, this helper spring and the quadrant adjusting means includ ingthe quadrant 4! andfthe lever 39 may be w moved from the'tractor as a unit. By being able to so remove the helperspring 48 and at'the tion, such as eflected by the adjusting means 59, necesslty for readjustmentof the spring 48 upon relocating the' same on the tractorisunnecessary. 'By' such a unitary. structurefighting with cultivators to the tractor.

the spring, which has usually been present in the connecting and disconnecting of the same, has :been eliminated. All of this has made for simplicity in'the attachment and detachment of the Means will now be described for the attaching of the rear parts of the cultivator attachment to the rear portion of the tractor. In the working out also of these parts, it has been the object to make the same as simple as possible. To the rear of the tractor there are pivotally connected rig beams 55 and 56 located respectively at Q posite s'ides of the tractor; and each of which is connected respectively to plates 51, as indicated atf58, for their attachment to the depending axle housings [1.- These plates 51 are of reverse L-shaped and are adapted to be connected by means ofscrew bolts 59 to the inner faces of the axle housings l1." By mere removal of these screw bolts 59, the rear, rigs are substantially made free or thetractor. Therear rigs 55 and 56 may each havea, rear shovel 55' and 56', respectively, which maybe adapted to serve astrack sweeps for the rear wheels of the tractor. 7

. An chored tothe tractor by'one of the attaching bolts 59,1which retain plates 51, are vertically extending rock-shaft supporting members, 5| adapted to be braced at their upper ends of the tra tor against fore and aft movement by means of'straps 62. The'strap on the left-hand side of the tractor may be connected to the tractor by means of the same boltiscrew which serves'to connect the combination adjusting means and spring unit 36 to the top of the tractor. The strap 62 at therighflhand side of the tractor may be connected thereto at some convenient location; Once the vertically upstanding members 6! have been fixed, arock-shaft pivoted in the upper ends of these members 6| will be in positionfor effecting lifting of the cultivating rigs and 56 through theirarms 63 and 64,v It will be noted that thesearms are so positioned with respect to the upper portion'of the members that the. rock-shaft serves tobrace the members lat: erally. The rearward ends of: the arms 63 and 64 are connected in th'e 'usual mannerto the swivel brackets 65 through which'pass' the'lifting links '66 having the usual pressure spring 61 associated therewith, so that the brackets will engage with a collar 68 on theiupper end of the pressure rods 66 to effect lifting of the rigs when the rock-shaft is pivoted forwardly. The arm 63 of the rock-shaft at-the left-hand side of the tractor may have rigidly secured'thereto a forwardly extending arm portion 69 for the connection of the rearwardly'extending link 53 from the adjusting lever 39. By this means, andwhen the lifting lever 39 is moved forwardly, the rockshaft and its arms '63 and 64 will rotate forwardly to effect the lifting. It should now be apparent that those parts of the cultivator located on the rear portion of the tractor may be removed substantially as a unit by merely removing the set screws 59 and by the disconnecting of the straps 62 at their forward ends.

In order to provide a lifting means for the cultivating units 23 connected to the forward portions of the tractor by means already described, there is provided another rock-shaft having the arms 12 and 13 projecting substantially forwardly for connection with a swivel bracket 14, through which pass the lifting rods 15 having the usual pressure springs 16 and connected at the lower ends to the rig beams 25, as indicated at 18. Rigid with the upper ends of the lift rod 15 are the collars 11 adapted to be engaged by the swivel bracket 14 during the lifting operation. Also rigid with the rock-shaft H is a downwardly extending operating arm 19, to the lower end of which may be connected the operating link 52, as indicated at 80. To serve as a bearing or bracket structure for the rock-shaft H, there is provided a pair of spaced plates 8| adapted to be respectively connected to the narrow body portions [8 substantially midship of the tractor and by means of screw bolts 83. By the mere removal of the screw bolts 83, the lifting structure for the forward'rigs may be removed from the tractor as a unit. It should thus be apparent that a simple lifting structure has been adapted for connection to a unitary body structure havend of the'beam 125 higher than the shovel on the forwardend'of' the 'rigbeam 25; It so happens that; during constant operation of any cultivat ing orground-working attachment, there will beformed' a certain 'loose'ness in the connection of the links 29 and 3!] with the bracket structures 21 and 32. If this looseness is of a sufficient amount,the rig beams 25 will droop considerably at their rearward ends when the rigs are raised to. their transport. position. The drooping of the rig beams '25 prevents easymanipulation of the tracto'r'at the end" of the field, in order to have these rear shovels avoid the standing crop. Thus, it is desirable'that the rear shovels be raised positively higher than? the forward shovels to improve the clearance of thecultivator-rigs as the'tractoris turned about at the end of the field. Asa means to effectthis higher raising of the rear shovel, there has been provided a vertically extending projecting means 84 which may be vertically adjustable, depending upon the degree of angling of .the rig beam 25 that'is -desired. This adjustable projecting means is so located laterallythat the top of the same will engage with the under face of' the drag-link 29, as shown particularly in Figure 4, upon the rigs being raised to their transport position. As this operation is effected, the lower'face of the draglink 29 will engage with the adjustable upright portion 84 and will :thereby efi'ect downward movement or depression of the forward portion of the rig beam 25 to effect pivoting of the same about the rearward end of the drag-link 29, to project upwardly the rear portion of the rig beam 25, so that it will take the angle shown in Figure 4, or any other angle, depending upon the adjustment of the means 84.

While there has been described a preferred form for the attachment of cultivator rigs to the steering housing l2 of the tractor, it should be apparent that this same steering housing may serve as a means for connection of other implements to the tractor, such as plows or even other forms of cultivating units, as by means of a projection 85, as seen in Figure 2. The forward end of the plow beam may be connected to this projection 85 by a bolt or pin means, whereby draft will be received from this gear housing.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction of the various features of the present invention, it shall be understood that these changes shall be within the spirit and scope ing narrowed midship portions and wherein the Referring now particularly to the forward rig connection, there has been provided means for effecting lifting of the shovel on the rearward 0f the p esent invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a tractor, a cultivator rig therig beam about its pivotal connection with the drag-link whereby the rear shovel on the beam will be raised higher than a shovel forwardly thereof when the rig beam is lifted.

2. In combination, a tractor, a cultivator rig 3 adapted to be lifted including a rig beam and shovels located in longitudinally spaced relation along the beam, means for connecting the rig beam-to the tractor to extend longitudinally with respect thereto including a drag-link pivotally connected to the rig beam, and means adapted drag-link to effect forward pivotal movement of the 'rig beam about its pivotal connection with the'drag-link whereby the rear shovel on the beam will be raised higher than a shovel forwardly thereof when the rig beam is lifted, and said engagement means being adjustable to-vary the amount of pivotal movement of the rig beam.

3. In'combination, a tractor, a cultivator rig adapted to be lifted including a rig beam and shovels located in longitudinally spaced relation along th beam, means for connecting the rig beam to the tractor including a bracket structure rigid with the rig beam and spaced links pivotally connected with the bracket structure and with the tractor, means associated with the rig beam forwardly of the connection of the bracket structure thereto and adapted to have engagement with one of the spaced links when the rig is lifted to depress the part of the'rig beam forwardly of the connection with the bracket structure, whereby any 'looseness in the connections of the spaced linkswith the tractor and bracket structure will be takeriup and the shovels onthe beam rearwardly of the bracket will be raised higher than a shovel on the beam forwardly of the bracket structure.

to cause engagement of the rig beam with the spaced relation therealong, means for connecting the rigxbeam to the tractorincluding spaced plates connected respectively to opposite sides of the rig beam and vertically spaced links connected with the tractor and with the spaced plates, at least the lower ofsaid links being disposed between the plates in its connection therewith, 'means associated with the top of the rig beam forwardly of the spaced plates and adapted to engage with the bottom of the lower link when the rig is lifted to depressthe part of the rig beam forwardly of the plates, whereby anyloosenessin the connections of the spaced links with the spaced plates and with the tractor will be taken up and the shovels on the beam rearwardly of the plates will be raised higher than a shovel on the beam forwardly of the plates.

5.'In combination, a tool-supporting-frame, a working tool rig adapted to be lifted including a longitudinally extending rig beam, means for connecting the rig beam to the tool-supporting 4. In combination, a tractor, a cultivator rig for the tractor adapted to be lifted and including a. rig beam with shovels located longitudinally P. SMITH, 

